President Donald Trump recently announced that Coca-Cola has agreed to use cane sugar in its regular Coke sold in the U.S., a claim not yet confirmed by Coca-Cola itself. Trump, posting on social media, endorsed the potential change, stating, “This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!” This announcement has prompted questions regarding the health implications of such a switch, with nutrition experts weighing in.

Currently, American Coke is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a liquid sweetener derived from cornstarch. This ingredient is a refined sugar, meaning it originates from natural sources but undergoes processing that removes other nutrients, leaving only pure sugar. Coca-Cola originally used cane sugar but transitioned to the more economical high-fructose corn syrup in the early 1980s. Notably, many other regions globally, including the formula for Mexican Coke sold in the U.S. in glass bottles, continue to utilize cane sugar.

Despite the perception that cane sugar might be healthier due to its